WASHINGTON — The Federal Aviation Administration will restrict helicopter traffic around Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington, D.C. after the fatal collision of an Army Black Hawk helicopter with an American Airlines jetliner earlier this week.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said that the restricted area includes Memorial Bridge to South Capitol Street Bridge, excluding the Tidal Basin; Haines Point to Wilson Bridge; and the airspace above the airport. This decision is intended to immediately help secure the airspace near Reagan Airport, ensuring the safety of airplane and helicopter traffic.
The restricted area is designed to prevent a similar incident from occurring in the future. National Transportation Safety Board member Todd Inman explained that helicopters operate in zones, or tracks, in Washington, with this particular helicopter transitioning from track one to four as part of its normal procedure.
The American Airlines plane, a regional CRJ700 that was arriving from Wichita, Kansas, was flying at about 300 feet on its final approach when it collided with the Black Hawk. Investigators are still working to determine the cause of the crash, with aspects such as the altitude of the aircraft, staffing, and communication with air traffic controllers under review.
In a statement, American Airlines CEO Robert Isom thanked President Donald Trump for his leadership on aviation safety and commended the administration for taking swift action to restrict helicopter activity around DCA.
The collision of the American Eagle Flight 5342 and the Army helicopter was the first deadly commercial airline crash in the U.S. in more than 15 years and the deadliest since 2001.
